17w4d oh boy

I’ll be the first to admit that I know practically next to nothing about boys (or men, for that matter). Ever since we found out that Baby Z is a boy last week, I’ve suffered moments of pure anxiety when I think about bringing up a little boy versus a little girl (most of them are pretty ridiculous, but I’ve never claimed to be a rational person). Thoughts such as: What if he is more interested in video games than people? When will he starts noticing differences between genders? (And ask me to explain?) Should I take special care to always be fully dressed around him?? What if I walk in on him touching…umm? (Shudder) How do I provide him with positive male role models (other than J, of course)? How much snuggling and kissing is too much? Should I encourage him to play with both dolls and trucks? What if he’s only interested in trucks? Or in dolls?

And the list continues.

Truth be told, I’d probably go through the exact same mental process (breakdown?) if Baby Z were a girl. J tells me that I’m a “circular worrier” – worrying for the sake of worrying and not for any solutions. I tell him that this what all women do (Is this something that I’ll have to explain to Baby Z later too? Sigh).

In all my meandering worries about Baby Z this past week, none of them involved circumcision because honestly, it just didn’t cross my mind! I always thought that circumcision was an aesthetic or a religious choice – one in which you can take it or leave it. But according to this article and to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there are many health benefits to circumcision, including a lower risk of urinary tract infections, less likelihood of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, and reduced chances that men will spread HPV to their female sexual partners, protecting them from getting cervical cancer.

As much as I hate to think about Baby Z’s future sex life (um, yuck), this is one of the first decisions that J and I will most likely have to make as parents regarding Baby Z’s health immediately after he is born. And I think the answer is…yes to circumcision?

Oh Baby Z, it’s times like these that I (almost) wish that you were a girl instead…Mommy understands girls!